維摩經略疏 1.78

1.78

問：若無聞相，云何說聞？答：若聞相盡都不聞者，佛住涅槃應都不聞法界音聲。如《法華》明耳根功德相似聞相盡，十方無數佛百福莊嚴相為眾生說法悉聞能受持，況分證聞相盡，聞十方佛法如雲持雨耶？妙覺聞相究竟盡，一切法界所有音聲一時聞也。故《大經》云「若知如來常不說法，是名具足多聞。」此經亦云「其聽法者無聞無得」。用四教約眾經聞義多少，亦類如是可知。

Question: If there are no marks of hearing, how can one speak of "hearing"? Answer: If the complete extinction of the marks of hearing meant hearing nothing at all, then when the Buddha abides in nirvāṇa he should hear none of the sounds in the dharmadhātu. As when the Lotus Sūtra explains that the benefits of the auditory faculty bring one into conformity with the extinction of the marks of hearing, so that one hears and is able to retain the teachings given to sentient beings by the countless buddhas of the ten directions adorned with the marks of a hundred merits—how much more so for those who have partially realized the extinction of the marks of hearing, hearing the buddhas' Dharma in the ten directions like clouds holding rain? At wondrous awakening, the marks of hearing are completely extinguished, and all the sounds throughout the entire dharmadhātu are heard at once. Thus the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra states: "If one knows that the Tathāgata constantly never preaches the Dharma, this is called being fully endowed with having heard much." This sūtra also states: "Those who listen to the Dharma hear nothing and attain nothing." How the four teachings are used to analyze the scope of the meaning of hearing across the various sūtras can likewise be understood in this way.